Is It Okay to Borrow a Joke?

Someone recently responded to a joke I posted on Twitter, indicating that I had stolen it from a third party. He attached a screenshot of a tweet that was the same as mine. However, I had taken that joke from elsewhere on the Internet. So, it turns out this person had also borrowed the joke. The incident got me thinking.

My books are original pieces of work and copyrighted. But jokes on Twitter are another matter. Many are also my own creation., but not all of them. Sometimes I see something that is a catalyst for a joke. There are those that I would say are adapted or recycled. I’ve done many jokes about Amazon. I’ve also seen similar jokes floating around. What is original material and who came up with it first? And sometimes I post a joke that might be decades old because it’s still funny. I see memes being shared on social media. Obviously, someone created each meme but the creator is never credited.

Maybe this is wrong. But as I see it, if material isn’t copyrighted then it falls into the public domain and is free for everyone to use without permission or payment of royalties. Occasionally, a Twitter follower tells me they are using one of my jokes, and I will say go right ahead. I consider my jokes to be part of the public domain. I’ve produced two Joke ebooks for promotional purposes, and they are given out for free. The material isn’t copyrighted. However, the cover graphics I did pay for.

As for that person who tried to shame me, I consider him to be a little harsh, but people on social media can be very judgemental. I will continue to make people smile on Twitter. There’s enough negativity there.